GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY 2, ASHTON UNITED 0
Two quickfire goals for Gainsborough Trinity were enough to see them to a comfortable victory despite Ashton United creating and failing to make the most of several chances.
And the loss leaves the Robins in 11th place but still only six points off second spot in a competitive premier division of the Northern Premier League.
The visitors were fielding an unchanged line up from the victory at Guiseley but it was the Holy Blues with a surprisingly modest home record who got off to a flyer as Joe West played a one-two with Harry Lewis before putting his cross onto the head of Curtis Durose who guided it home in the fifth minute.
Still in the first quarter hour, Durose sent an effort spinning wide with Ashton struggling to clear but immediately a mix up saw Max Harrop lose possession with Clayton Donaldson holding off Matty Regan long enough to provide Liam Waldock with a tap in.
Cole Lonsdale picked up a booking with the interval approaching for chopping down Durose, but the visitors could have pulled one back as their best move of the half saw Joe Robbins’ pull back miskicked by Ben Hardcastle from six yards.
The hosts were back on the attack immediately after the restart with Durose skimming past George Milner to the by line and seeing Waldock’s near post effort superbly tipped over by Greg Hartley and Durose himself then shot straight at the keeper.
Just before the hour, substitute Jack Kenny picked up a free kick on the edge of the area from which Lonsdale forced a good low save from Matt Yates with Robbins resulting chip to the back post headed over from a great position by Harry Coates.
Regan was then cautioned for a blatant block on left winger Harry Lewis with the free kick cleared to Dylan Cogill who volleyed well over. Hartley had to be alert once again soon after, denying Cogill with a smart save with his leg and Clayton Donaldson was then denied at the near post from Durose’s set up before the winger himself was also kept out.
Darius Osei’s header stretched Yates in the home goal following Hardcastle’s cross as it was destined not to be for the Robins as the majority of the 622 crowd went home happy.
Ashton United: Hartley, Roxburgh, Lonsdale, Milner, Regan, Baird (Coates 56), Hardcastle, Robbins, Osei, Harrop (Kenny 52), Warren (Hough 52). Sub (not used): Taylor.
Report: David Robinson.